Chapter 89 - Quiet And Brutal Question Relay
The Sword Demon puts down his teacup and says.
âYou donât have to force yourself to say anything you donât want to reveal. But why donât we ask each other questions we want to know and answer them in exchange for information? Weâll go slow. We should get to know each other first.â
âAre you asking me to do a Q&A relay?â
âAsk me if you have any questions.â
Now that heâs allowing me to ask questions, I have so much to ask. I have to sort out my questions according to priority.
As I ponder this deeply, the Left Hand intervenes.
âMaster, may I join you?â
Like the generals of the kingdoms Wei, Shu, and Wu, we choose our words carefully.
I ask the Sword Demon the first question.
âWhy are you teaching a shithead like him?â
Sword Demon answers me calmly.
âIâm thinking of making him the next Heavenly Demon (怩é). Does that answer your question?â
I feel like I just got beaten down by the Sword Demon for a moment. This is an unexpected answer.
When the Sword Demon and I turn to look at the Left Hand, he shakes his head.
The man, later known as the Left Hand of Illuminating Light, is a gentle sheep in front of his master. The Sword Demon then nods and throws a question at me.
âI donât think youâre from either the Orthodox or Unorthodox Factions. I wouldâve also known you if you were in the Demon Cult. That leaves three masters, Seo Jang or the Three Disasters. Or, though hard for me to believe, you learned all of this yourself.â
The hairs on my arm are all standing up.
It is incredible how he could narrow the scope of possibilities without witnessing my martial arts skills.
The Sword Demon demands an answer.
âIs my prediction right?â
I give him as simple of an answer as I can. That way, the longer the question and answer session, the more information I can get.
I look at the Sword Demonâs wooden sword and the Left Hand before asking my question.
âWhat are you teaching him? Shithead mastered the Ice Technique, and youâre mastering the sword.â
The Sword Demon points at the Left Hand.
âHe learned Ice Technique before meeting me. Look at him. Heâs inexperienced with a lot to learn. Just because Iâm a good swordsman doesnât guarantee heâll also be one. He swallowed laxatives even before he could fight. Do you have any idea how much I have to teach? Itâs better to train in what weâre good at.â
Sword Demonâs words are irrefutable.
âYouâre one nasty little punk.â
I have no choice but to nod in agreement. This time, the Sword Demon asks his question.
âWhat is the martial art you are most confident in? Your hands donât have calluses.â
Even though I have the Black Hareâs Tooth on my waist, the Sword Demon doesnât see me as a threat.
I notice that there is no use in lying. Sword Demon can quickly determine whether itâs a lie or truth.
I answer him in my own way.
âI learned various martial arts, so I donât fight with one style. Iâm confident in all of them. It depends on the situation.â
The Sword Demon nods with an indifferent expression.
âThat means nothing about you stands out.â
I let out a short sigh. It feels like the Sword Demon just slashed his sword and struck my arm.
The Sword Demon then gestures.
I ask him a comprehensive question to discover why the Sword Demon is staying around in an area under the Orthodox Faction.
âWhat is a member of the Demon Cult doing here?â
Sword Demon answers after understanding the intent behind the question.
âIâm waiting for the right timing to fight the Cult Leader. Heâs not a man I can fight anytime I want, so Iâll have to wait longer. I also need to recover from my injury.â
This isnât surprising at all. I scratch my head and nod. Sword Demon, who just made a clean counterattack, launches another attack.
âThis is our first encounter. It seems like you knew my disciple from before. What do you want from him? Since you didnât poison him, it means you want something.â
I stare at the Sword Demon for a moment.
Is this guy using the Phantom Sword?
I suddenly feel as if invisible swords are entirely surrounding me.
If I lie, the invisible swords will stab into my body.
I thought this was a question relay, but it ended up with me risking my life. Even the Left Hand realizes that this is not an ordinary question relay.
Iâm a man who doesnât worry much, so I only tell the truth. Iâll think about the story that doesnât make sense later.
âAll I want is the Ice Technique.â
The Sword Demonâs expression instantly changes, and the invisible swords surrounding me disappear all at once.
The Sword Demon and Left Hand look at me with suspicion.
I just think to hell with all this facade and ask the Sword Demon.
âWhy did you take this guy as your disciple? Heâs a ladyâs man.â
âBeing a womanizer is his nature, and nature is inherited from parents. He probably gets it from his father. While there are children wary of their parentsâ nature, there are those who donât. His potential and talent for learning martial arts were rare and exceptional.â
The shocking fact about the Left Hand is that he is a man without any twist to his story. Even the Sword Demon admits that this guy was born to be the Pervert Demon.
When the Left Hand does deny anything, Sword Demon then says with an awkward expression.
âI wonât stop him from playing with women. But I told him not to hurt and insult women. Still, he will end up in trouble if he keeps changing lovers. If more innocent women follow him only by looking at his handsome face, this guy will realize his fate.â
The Sword Demon answers my question with his predicament.
The Left Hand, who is listening carefully, asks the Sword Demon.
âMaster, what is that destiny you mentioned?â
âI donât know either. Itâs just that when you find a woman you really like, sheâs more likely to look down on you due to your reputation. Right now, youâll be happy to sleep with several women, but affection is no simple and easy matter. But itâs like knocking on a dead manâs door. Even if I say this, just live as you please. Thatâs fate.â
The Sword Demonâs attack drives the Left Hand to a corner.
The Left Hand looks extremely hurt, so I snort at him mockingly.
âGet the hell out, shithead.â
Itâs time for me to compete with the Sword Demon again.
âItâs my turn to ask questions. Why do you want to learn the Ice Technique?â
I scratch my forehead for a moment. Right now, whenever Sword Demon attacks, I can see his tactics. This is a punch-like question. There is no way to avoid it, so I block it head-on.
âTo kill the cult leader.â
Even though I succeed in my defense, the feeling of being cornered is still there. After some thought, I ask my question in the form of a direct stab.
âWhat is your intention in fighting the cult leader?â
This time, the Sword Demon folds his arms.
âYouâre asking such an obvious question. But if you donât know me, itâs understandable youâll be curious.â
âA man who sets foot in Kangho and fights more than 10 times isnât a skilled man.â
Ignoring the rules, I follow up with a question.
âDoesnât it mean you have 10 guys to beat up? You will compete for ego if you meet a Kangho warrior as you train. Youâll have to continue training if youâre lucky enough to survive. You wonât have enough time to continuously look for the next Kangho warrior and compete with 10 masters. A sect leader may be among the strong, and next, the alliance leader caught my attention.â
For a moment, I am astonished by the Sword Demonâs condescending answer and keep my silence.
âThat is my definition of Demon (é).â
This man is a demon who walks the path of a truth-seeker with his sword.
This time, it is the Sword Demonâs turn.
âYou canât kill the cult leader by just mastering the Ice Technique. Do you have a plan?â
The answer to this question is simple, so I tell him what I have in mind.
âThe important thing is to have a Killing Intent (æźșæ) toward him, so the result doesnât matter.â
The Sword Demon stares at me with a frown as if he is mulling over my words.
Suddenly, I recall one of Grandmaster Ouyangâs eight tactics, the sixth tactic, the Wooden Sword Style (æšććŒ).
Sword Demon has a wooden sword.
Iâd given up since the fifth tactic, the Thunderous Sword Style. Now that the Sword Demon is holding a wooden sword, I canât help but be curious. Grandmaster Ouyang and the Dokgo Sword Demon may not come from the same faction, but I still ask him the question because they might share something in common.
âDoes that wooden sword represent your current cultivation level?â
âThatâs a strange question. The wooden sword has been a topic for me these days. As for my level⊠perhaps youâre right. I canât fully control the wooden sword yet. Does that answer your question?â
It is understandable if they have not read Ki Sung-jaâs explanation. However, I can predict the Sword Demonâs level since Iâve read the synopsis of the Grandmaster Sword Technique.
The Sword Demon asks me a realistic question.
âHow will you acquire it if my disciple has no intention of teaching you?â
I answer without much thought.
âIf not, Iâll gain enlightenment on my own.â
Sword Demon scoffs, nods, and says.
âThe relay is over. I know who your master is.â
I think, âOh, this is how you want to play?â This is such an odd question relay.
âWho do you think it is?â
âYou are influenced by a few people but donât have an actual master. Basically, you are the one-man show type who builds your own faction or becomes a grandmaster. An independent man who lives by his own disposition, personality, and mindset. Youâre not learning the Ice Technique because you need it, but more for the knowledge to explore the next step. In any case, extreme Yin energy is a big part of martial arts. Thatâs the traits of a grandmaster. You have no affiliation, but it is reasonable to see it as self-taught. You may be using what youâve learned since youâre young. The day will come when youâll use your own martial arts if you work hard.â
I become speechless for the first time since my regression to the past.
This is a serious situation if a talkative person like me is speechless.
The Sword Demon asks for confirmation.
âNo, youâre right.â
âThis rare trait itself is very invaluable.â
The Sword Demon nods without showing anything and looks at the Left Hand.
âIf my disciple has offended you in any way, please forgive him. Since you kept him alive, it must not be a grave mistake. Iâm the one to be blamed for not teaching him enough. If you forgive him, you can come to find me whenever you have any questions or get stuck with training.â
The Sword Demon continues.
âMoreover, the Ice Technique is like the soul of my discipleâs clan. My disciple could change his mind and teach you, but killing him wonât enable you to learn the Ice Technique. However, regardless of chance or coincidence, we both want to kill the cult leader. Now that weâve cleared the air, why donât we move on?â
I stare at the Left Hand with genuine surprise.
There is no change in his expression. His reaction shows that heâs not surprised at Sword Demonâs words.
âYou, killing the cult leader?â
While staring at the Left Hand, I recall his behavior, speech, and expression back at the cliff. And I then come to this conclusion.
âJerk, he was hunting me down so I would swallow the Heavenly Pearl.â
The Pervert Demon is the Pervert Demon. Thereâs no unexpected side to him.
The unexpected twist is that this man hadnât come to retrieve the Heavenly Pearl and present it to the Cult Leader. He isnât such a great person to give rare panaceas like the Heavenly Pearl to others from the start.
Even if I killed 100 of the strongest elites of the Heavenly Demon CultâŠ
It means the Left Hand was just looking on as he was chasing me.
He hadnât been interested in taking my life. All the Left Hand wanted was to get his hands on the Heavenly Pearl. Furthermore, if a faction named the Okhwa Palace was destroyed by the Heavenly Demon Cult, it would be more natural for their descendants to seek revenge.
The Left Hand then says with reluctance.
The Sword Demon answers immediately.
âDonât be too bothered that you got spiked with laxatives. You should be relieved you werenât poisoned. If the outcome of the match was cruel, youâre already dead. Foolish, I warned you to be careful.â
The Left Hand replies with a bewildered look.
âI will deeply reflect on my mistake.â
The Sword Demon points his finger and launches a finishing attack.
âYou didnât survive because of luck. You are alive because this man needs something from you. Your clanâs Ice Technique saved you. I wonder how long youâll get drunk and sleep with women.â
The Left Hand hangs his head low and gives an unexpected response.
âI will do my best in training.â
âIâll also work hardâŠâ
As Sword Demonâs wooden sword surges with a thud, the Left Hand drops and rolls onto the floor.
I look at the Left Hand with my arms crossed. To be honest, I am in awe.
âWow, shithead, youâre incredible.â
As I stare at the Sword Demon, I comfort him with pure intention.
I suspected that the Sword Demon might have died of an anger disorder in his previous life.
Looking around the scenery of the yard again, we are.
The Sword Demon walks on the path of a seeker of truth with his sword.
The Pervert Demon is the Pervert Demon.
And Iâm the Crazy Demon.
All three of us have nicknames true to our nature.